Goffin survives, Wozniacki cruises

David Goffin needed almost two-and-a-half hours to subdue the threat of local wildcard Marcel Granollers in Barcelona.

The Belgian, seeded fourth at the ATP 500 event, recovered from 6-4 5-1 down to win 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2, saving a match point when Granollers was first serving for the match with a 5-2 lead.

He became one of five players through to the last 16; also progressing were No.8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut, 11th seed Adrian Mannarino, and Feliciano Lopez, the 12th seed.

Goffin is expected to play Karen Khachanov in the third round, should the No.16 seed seed get past Leonardo Mayer.

After suffering a freak eye injury in the Rotterdam semifinals, Goffin is playing his third event following more than a month off the tour.

He fell in the first round of Miami but rediscovered some form on clay last week in Monte Carlo, advancing to the third round before falling to Grigor Dimitrov – also his opponent in that Rotterdam semifinal.

Wozniacki breezes into round two

ISTANBUL, REUTERS – Reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki powered past Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round of the Istanbul Cup.

Denmark’s Wozniacki was barely troubled by world No.101 Alexandrova as she converted five out of six break points to win her first claycourt match of the season in 68 minutes.

The world No.2, back in Istanbul after four years, next meets the winner of Wednesday’s match between Kirsten Flipkens and Sara Errani.

“It was tricky, for sure,” Wozniacki said. “The first match on clay is never easy, but I’m happy with the win. It’s great just to get a match in and feel better with the movement. It’s all about fine-tuning in matches like these.

“I’m using this as a preparation for the next few weeks, because the French Open is obviously around the corner. There’s lots to look forward to, and I want to keep feeling like I’m getting into the groove on clay.”

Earlier, world No.54 Donna Vekic advanced after Agnieszka Radwanska retired due to a back injury. Croatia’s Vekic was leading 6-1 2-0 when third seed Radwanska said she could not continue.

Zhang Shuai was stunned by Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus 6-2 6-3 while Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva fought back to get past sixth seed Sorana Cirstea 0-6 6-1 6-0.

Seventh seed Irina-Camelia Begu saved four set points in the opening set before moving past Slovenian qualifier Dalila Jakupovic 7-5 6-0. She meets America’s Christina McHale next.